‘’When you turn an election into a three-ring circus, there is always a chance that the dancing bear will win.’’
-Nancy Isenberg
Whichever way the political pendulum finally swings during the September 2020 governorship election in Edo State, the wishes of the good and peace-loving people of the “Heartbeat of the Nation” will be compromised. Even months before then, the heartbeats of the political gladiators and their rabble-rousing supporters have jumped up notches in beats per minute (bpm).
One is not a prophet of doom. No! But the unfortunate, yet preventable, power-poaching squabble between embattled, incumbent Governor Godwin Obaseki and his predecessor, Adams Oshiomhole lends credence to one’s assertion. The latter was until recently the National Chairman of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). But the Court of Appeal has upheld his suspension and so it would be, at least for now.
The pain in all the war of attrition between the two is not because it has much to do with delivering the dividends of democracy to the long-suffering citizenry. Rather, it is predicated on what one has severally warned against- which is the undue personalisation of political power in Nigeria, against the ethos and dictates of democracy. Evidently, Oshiomhole has been unable to exorcise himself of the belligerent, brow-beating and muscle-flexing posture of his hey days in radical unionism.
In the words of Adedayo Moses, Oshiomhole sees himself as the National Working Committee (NWC) of the political party. “The words, advice, suggestions and comments of the other 25 members do not matter. He is the lord of the manor. The ‘Putin’ of this era.” Sharing similar sentiments is Mallam Shehu Ismail, a party chieftain in Kaduna State. Said he: ‘’With a friend like Oshiomhole be assured that you are in the lion’s den ready for consumption. He is a crafty politician who can stoop to get what he wants but once he gets it, he consumes you either for breakfast, lunch or dinner.” Talk about the slippery, crafty characteristics of the jungle fox, all on the basic instincts of survival of the fittest (sorry, smartest), thanks to Charles Darwin.
Accused of allegedly turning his back on the party stalwarts in the likes of Yari, Okorocha, Amosun and Amaechi with whose support he rode to the post of the APC Chairmanship, he certainly had bitten more than he could chew! But not done yet, he went beyond the boundary of political decency, according to Moses, to have stepped on the revered toes of the First Lady, Aisha Buhari, by working against her interests in her home state-Adamawa! Too bad!
Not unexpectedly therefore, within two years of his chairmanship, the APC has lost not a few states, with others loading. He was expected to keep to the tenets of the gentleman agreements reached with the powers that be. That was after running from pillar-to-post before his suspension was lifted, but he broke the rules again! He refused to recall the Deputy National Chairman, North, Senator Lawan Shuaibu and the National Vice-Chairman (North-East). In addition, he was expected to give both Obaseki and Rotimi Akeredolu right of first refusal to recontest the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Edo and Ondo states, respectively. But he betrayed that solemn pledge. Again? You might ask. Yes, again!
What manner of man is this, one is bound to ask? Was it not this same Oshiomhole, who after breaking the godfatherism jinx in Edo State by dusting the Tony Aninis, vowed never again to interfere in the affairs of the state? Is it true, as being alleged that Oshiomhole was hell-bent on producing the Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Majority Leader for the House, without the input of a sitting governor? Is there any iota of truth in the allegation that it was not ‘Obasek’, (sorry Obaseki) as many had questioned who deliberately stalled the inauguration of the 12 members of the state House of Assembly? And to crown it all, did Adam eat the forbidden apple in the Garden of APC by lambasting members of the Committee of the APC-Governors who had cautioned him against denying Obaseki the Second Term ticket?
Now, the chickens have come home to roost. And the APC, the ruling party which had promised Nigerians to ‘Change’ the narrative from the old norms of lack of internal party democracy, massive corruption in places high and low, frontally battle insecurity and drive the engine of integrity is currently enmeshed in sundry political malfeasances. If not, how do we explain that as at Wednesday, June 17, 2020 the party had three members, all claiming right to the Acting Chairmanship of the party?
The three Acting Chairmen include ex-governor of Oyo state, Abiola Ajimobi (Deputy National Chairman, South), Victor Giadom (Deputy National Secretary) and Ntufam Hilliad Eta (National Vice Chairman, South-South). While Section 14(2) iii of the APC constitution, 2014 was relied upon to bolster Ajimobi’s choice, Giadom had barely an hour after that appointment proclaimed himself as the rightful Chairman of the party. He premised his action on the judgment by the Court of Appeal (Justice S.U. Bature, Suit No FCT/HC/M/6447/2020 ) for the suspension of Oshiomhole. And he went further to speedily declare as invalid all the processes that led to the disqualification of Governor Obaseki from contesting the APC primaries for the governorship of Edo State.
On his part, Eta was announced the Acting Chairman with the tacit support of 16 out of the 21 members of the NWC. He is to act on behalf of Ajimobi who, as at that time, was reportedly ill. As expected, Giadom has been declared persona non grata in the NWC. All these unfolding political melodrama portends grave dangers for the APC, not just for the forthcoming elections in Edo and Ondo states but for the country as a whole. If only, Oshiomhole had sacrificed his whims and caprices for the good of Edo State.
The high-octane drama clearly shows that the APC is currently a house divided against itself and cannot stand. That is, unless some negotiations are made and Mister President uses his immense influence to wade in quickly. Even then, it will be an Herculean task to mend fences and bring aggrieved members under the same roof, as it had in 2014.
Back then, the primary objective was to get the PDP government, led by then President Goodluck Jonathan out of the seat of power. But now, with 2023 inching closer by the day and vaulting ambitions of presidential hopefuls such as Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, Nasir el-Rufai, Rotimi Amaechi and Kayode Fayemi at play, the APC house is caught in the eye of the storm. Will it survive it? That is the million-naira question.
As it was with the PDP, so it may be for the APC since it has refused to learn from history. But the pain, for one, is that our politicians’ brutal quest for power using the Machiavellian tactics will crumble our fragile democracy, sooner than later.
